The present invention concerns an applicator device for storing and applying a substance to be applied, in particular a cosmetic product. In addition the invention concerns a housing of variable length for such an applicator device.
Containers for substances to be applied, in particular cosmetic substances are known. In the case of such containers the applicator element when not in use frequently remains continuously dipped into the substance to be applied, in the interior of the container. For an application process it may be necessary to remove an excess of substance to be applied from a stick-shaped holding portion for an applicator element of the device, or an excess of substance on the applicator element, but nonetheless to leave a sufficient amount of substance to be applied on the applicator element, as is required for example for the application process. Particularly when the container is still new and thus substantially fully filled, under some circumstances too much substance may remain on the applicator element while conversely too little substance is on the applicator element when the content in the container is coming to an end.
To alleviate the above-indicated problem it is known in the state of the art for a through opening in a stripping element provided at the opening of the container for the applicator element to be designed to be variably adjustable in order to be able to meter the substance to be applied, to correspondingly different degrees, on the applicator element.
EP 0 002 301 B2 discloses a pack for cosmetics having a stripper device with at least one opening for stripping excess cosmetic composition from the applicator. The stripper device has an adjustment option, by means of which the opening of the stripper device can be varied. The range of variation is such that, at different settings, larger or smaller amounts of the cosmetic composition are removed from the applicator when the applicator is withdrawn from the container.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the pack for cosmetics in EP 0 002 301 in a cross-sectional view, wherein the pack has a container comprising a first bottle 2a and a bottle sheath 2b movably connected thereto. The FIG. 1 container is partially filled with a cosmetic composition 5. Adaptation of the diameter of the stripper opening 9 can be achieved by rotation of the bottle 2a relative to the bottle sheath 2b. A brush as the applicator 6 is connected to a cap 3 by way of a stem 7 so that the cap serves at the same time as a handle for the applicator. The stripper device 10 comprises an integral ring which is fixed at the open end of the bottle 2a and has a stripper opening 9 at the inner end. In the region of the container opening the bottle sheath 2b has an annular edge 17 which extends into the interior of the container and which is arranged adjacent to the stripper device 10. For adjusting the diameter of the stripper opening, the arrangement has a male screwthread 14 in the outside wall of the bottle 2a, which fits into the inside wall of the bottle sheath 2b in relation to a corresponding female screwthread 15. Rotation of the bottle 2a relative to the bottle sheath 2b, without removal of the cap from the bottle sheath 2b, can move the bottle 2a together with the stripper device 10 along the longitudinal axis within the bottle sheath 2b to increase or reduce pressure on the stripper device 10 by way of the annular edge 17. The diameter of the stripper opening 9 is increased or reduced in accordance with the pressure on the stripper device 10 whereby the stripping action on a cosmetic composition with which the applicator 6 is loaded upon being withdrawn from the container can be adjusted.
A problem with the cosmetic pack known in the state of the art with an adjustable stripper device lies in sealing of the bottle 2a containing the cosmetic to be applied. In the cosmetic pack described in EP 0 002 301 sealing integrity is achieved by the arrangement and material property of the stripper device 10 insofar as the stripper device 10 is so arranged at the open end of the bottle 2a that at the same time it virtually performs a sealing function as an integrated O-ring seal between the bottle 2a and the bottle sheath 2b and thus safeguards the container against escape of the cosmetic contained therein. The dual function of the stripper device as a seal in the two-part pack cannot be eliminated as, to adjust the stripper device, the two housing parts, that is to say the bottle 2a and the bottle sheath 2b, have to be movable relative to each other. Thus the fit as between the two housing parts represents a permanent possible source of leakage, in particular for cosmetics with volatile constituents.
An object of the present invention is to improve the sealing integrity of the container which accommodates a filling material such as for example a pourable cosmetic substance, or to diminish measures necessary for that purpose. A further but also alternative object of the invention is that of developing or improving the adjustment option for the stripping means.